What are some effective ways to find clients as a consultant mentor?

"Niches are riches", remember that. Your lane, your bent, your twist is what makes you stand out...AND by being very specific, you do not overwhelm your potential client. If you can add more value in other forms and forums, that's great, but stick to your singular purpose-for me that is Emotional Intelligence meets Sales, period. It's no longer "if you build it, they will come", but rather performing your due diligence via problem solving to discover your superpower and how to effectively activate it. I'm rooting for you.

Other people have the vote on you being a mentor. So, step one is being open and approachable to communicate with others. It todays, world you have a lots of tools like LinkedIn and others to tell your stories. Many people contact me based on how I solved challenges in certain arenas with various teams. I try to share that in other stories in posts, podcasts, and radio shows. Over time the content and word of mouth have allowed to meet and assist other leaders over time.

Engagement is the key! It would help if you try out different ways of engaging with your clients. Keep sharing your perspective and the value you can add to your client's life. If your mentorship can make someone's life easy, people will stay as your loyal customers forever.

Being a mentor is a journey that involves combining your expertise and passion with effective strategies to stand out. For me, the first step was discovering the niche I was not only knowledgeable about (Finance and Law) but also deeply passionate about. Understanding the needs of potential clients was crucial. I created a professional website and shared my knowledge through a blog. In LinkedIn i connect with my audience. I share valuable content, success stories, and testimonials to showcase my expertise. Lastly, networking became a daily practice. I attended industry events, universities, panels, and conferences.

Finding clients as a mentor consultant starts with listening for opportunities and identifying like-minded individuals. I like to ask my friends and associates for referrals. Sometimes this opens doors I couldn't previously access. The groups I am drawn to mentoring include women business owners, small business owners, college students, and entrepreneurs.

I believe writing original, transparent, helpful content on LinkedIn is a great way to establish and maintain credibility and presence as a mentor and leader. I regularly publish content from a variety of perspectives, both personal content, content as an entrepreneur and founder, and content as a leadership and executive coach and mentor. In addition, I contribute to the Uptime app as an author and publish other content on blogs, including for the Private Directors Association and other leadership-related platforms.

We can also call this: creating a digital version of you who people can relate to as you keep sharing your own learnings and insights. Remembering that as we walk alongside our listeners and readers, our potential clients, by us sharing our process, with all its imperfections, they find something to relate to. Trustbuilding starts there at that resonance. It's not just experiences, certificates, numbers, titles, but how our current tone and attitude resonates with the ones who take a step with vulnerability and Courage and reach out for support. I always find it a humbling process and I believe, in our mentoring, coaching capacity, we shall be of greater service by sharing it.

I had written a blog on paintball franchising which led to one user reading that blog while he was at Oxford and happened to be from an influential royal family in the Middle East. I was contacted by the top officials while they were looking at building a franchise program for the country for a specific niche and was hired for the same and realized that the blog got me there. So, contributing to online channels, like I am writing on these answers could be one of the surest ways of reaching your audience who'd be researching experts when they are looking at solutions from your niche. This is by far the most powerful tool to finding clients as a consultant.

I have been reading about this subject. Building a successful consulting mentorship is rooted in building authentic relationships. A book that comes to mind is Keith Ferrazzi's "Never Eat Alone." Here are key takeaways: - Dine and Discuss: Use meal times as networking opportunities. Casual discussions can lead to meaningful connections (Never eat alone!) - Offer Value & Be Generous: Before thinking about what you can get, think about what you can give. Offer value first. Whether it's sharing a resource or giving some free advice, this generosity can set the foundation for a long-term relationship. - Engage in Groups/Mastermind Groups: Join or form groups with like-minded professionals for referrals and collaborations. - Host Events

Leveraging existing networks is always a good idea, especially for those who have had many friends since a young age. However, consultants who started their services later in life (30s/40s), may face difficulties in networking. In my experience, joining business networks such as BNI or JCI can be a great way to expand our relationships. These networks provide opportunities to connect with like-minded professionals and build valuable connections. Additionally, offering free or discounted sessions to your new network can be a helpful strategy. By providing value upfront, you can establish trust and credibility with your peers. This, in turn, may lead to their support and referrals within their own networks.

One of the most effective ways to leverage your network is through networking. It is simple to acquire clients once you have identified your niche and begin sharing your experience and expertise in your field. Remember, it's all about adding value and resolving problems. People in today's environment require more problem solvers, and there are numerous channels you may utilize to attract your knowledge. LinkedIn, YouTube, and so forth. However, consistency is essential as you begin, and it may take some time to attract individuals to you. The goal is to remain on the floor and continue doing what you're doing.

I’ve built my business on word of mouth, and I’ve found that the best business typically comes from my network. This is because people I know and have worked with can speak directly to my work, strengths etc and can recommend a good match.

Franchising is a long marathon. I remember onboarding several clients who may have met us 3-5 years ago and we had given them clear instructions on achieving certain milestones and getting back to us when they are really ready. We are also constantly in touch with several clients who may have not been able to onboard us for several reasons as we know that the timing has to be right and there is no substitute for constant follow-up at the right intervals. However, remember not to turn off the client with persistent follow up which may look like a pure sales follow-up call. You will need to be more empathetic to get better results from follow-ups vs killing your leads from excessive calls.

As a consultant mentor, I understand the importance of follow-up in any business. I make it a priority to stay in touch with my clients regularly, checking in on their progress and offering further assistance. However, when it comes to prospects, I believe in a more reserved approach. I limit myself to 3-4 follow-ups, as I want to convey that I am not begging them to become my clients. Instead, I give them the freedom to reach out to me whenever they are ready.

If you offer fractional or consulting services, and your client no longer needs you in your original capacity, offer to remain on as a consultant and/or mentor. This allows you to continue to help them and build on the previous work you've done with the client.

I keep hearing that finding your niche is a way to succeed. Actually, I disagree with that. True to the good old adage "don't put all your eggs in one basket", I have many "baskets" that collect many different types of clients. Diversification and flexibility are key! This doesn't mean that I'm spreading myself too thin but that I have multiple interests and areas of expertise. This may not work for everyone, but it happens to be my recipe for success.

Just be yourself. Be humble. Be a good listener. Ask more questions than you think you should. Assume positive intent until proven otherwise. Be grateful and seek to give and serve more than you are given and served.

Do not offer more than you can deliver: Set clear expectations to define the scope of your mentoring services. Establish boundaries to prevent misunderstandings about the limits of your offerings. Customize your approach to cater to each client's unique needs. Regularly assess client progress to make necessary adjustments. Stay updated with the latest trends in your field to provide relevant advice. Encourage open communication to refine your services based on client feedback. Refer clients to specialists when needed. Set fair pricing to strike a balance between value and cost. Consider legal protection with contracts and insurance. Maintain ongoing communication to keep clients informed and engaged.

Next to the practical steps and strategies I always advocate for getting clear on Core Values and our Why - the Lifebook process, lifestyle design (T. Ferriss), Ikigai, Wheel of Life can all help with that. That may not be one single a-ha moment, but an unfolding. Once we as Leaders in coach/mentor capacity can summarize in a few words what we're most passionate about, what we infuse with our Lifeforce energy in our work, that clarity will not only carry us through initial uncertainties, but it fuels us to master our craft. My experience is that strong, clear intention with our Life Vision sustains our energy for continuous learning and draws in those who resonate with that and become inspired to build their own version of it.